Filmed mainly in Vienna's splendid "Musikvereinssaal," the Mozart
symphonies conducted by Karl Böhm are all interpreted by one of the
world's foremost orchestras, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, whose
principal conductors have included Wilhelm Furtwängler, Bruno Walter,
Herbert von Karajan, Claudio Abbado and, of course, Karl Böhm. "Thanks to
Bruno Walter's exemplary performances, particularly of Mozart's works, I
grabbed on to Mozart and fell in love with him so much that I had only one
wish: to conduct Mozart, Mozart, Mozart." (Karl Böhm)
This symphony is the first segment of the famous symphonic triptych
composed by Mozart in the summer of 1788. Although we do not know exactly
why Mozart wrote these three symphonic masterpieces at that time, it is
assumed that they were intended for a series of concerts in Vienna. Despite
his waning popularity in Vienna and his desperate financial situation,
Mozart succeeded in forgetting his daily concerns and created a masterpiece
of good spirits and self-confidence. The stately introduction leads into a
graceful, urbane theme that seems to flow without effort. But a highlight
of this work is the Trio of the Minuet, a pastoral Ländler for woodwinds
that contrasts strikingly with the pounding energy of the Minuet.
Karl Böhm was universally acclaimed for his Mozart interpretations. Though
Wagner was one of Böhm's first loves, his friendship with Richard Strauss
led to a deep knowledge and appreciation of Mozart. In his autobiography,
Böhm wrote that "Richard Strauss revealed to me the ultimate secrets of
this, in my opinion, greatest of all musical geniuses, Mozart." Böhm's
discovery of these secrets transformed his Mozart interpretations into
unforgettable events.
